Power Outage
by Greys-Shepherdess
Summary: Amelia hates thunderstorms. (Owen/Amelia)


Amelia Shepherd absolutely _hated_ thunderstorms.

She hated their unpredictability, their instability, how powerless they made her feel. And something about sudden loud noises didn't sit well with her.

She jumped as a clap of thunder echoed throughout the house, interrupting the steadiness of heavy raindrops plummeting against the roof. She found herself transported back in time, a familiar scene flashing before her eyes. She was sitting in the back of her father's convenience store, rolling two pennies through the cracks in the floorboards. She jumped again when another thunderclap sounded from outside, and suddenly she was lunging forward, her ten-year-old brother's hand clamped tightly over her mouth, watching in horror as her father collapsed onto the floor, the reverberation of a loud gunshot ringing in her ears.

Amelia Shepherd hated thunderstorms. And it certainly didn't help that she was alone in the house tonight.

She closed her eyes and willed herself to breathe, reaching for the remote as she nestled into the couch and wrapped herself in a warm blanket. She raised the volume of the TV and focused her attention back on the crappy reality show she had been watching. _It's just a storm._

She jumped again when she heard a knock on the door, and she hesitated for a short moment before standing up to answer it.

She was surprised to find Owen Hunt standing on the other side, Zola and Bailey standing on either side of him, clutching each of his hands. She quickly ushered them inside before running to the bathroom to grab a dry towel for each of them.

"Thank you," Owen said, taking two of them from Amelia's arms. "The kids were scared of the storm, so Meredith asked me to bring them back here. Figured they'd rather spend the night in their own beds than at the hospital... Ellis was already asleep, so she's still there with her."

"Yeah, of course," Amelia said, wrapping a towel around her nephew's shoulders as Owen did the same for Zola. "Thank you."

"It's no problem," Owen smiled.

Another clap of thunder echoed loudly, followed by a flash of lightning, and Owen could sense Amelia's uneasiness. He studied her movements, noticing that she was unusually tense.

"I wasn't scared!" Bailey announced proudly, and Amelia smiled.

"Oh, really?" she teased.

Bailey shook his head. "Nope, I wasn't scared! But Zozo was."

"Hey! No, I wasn't," Zola defended, pouting.

Amelia scooped her niece into her arms, smiling as the six-year-old rested her head against her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Zo. Thunderstorms scare me, too," she whispered. "Come on, you two. It's past your bedtime."

Owen smiled, drying his hair with the towel. He watched as Amelia took Bailey's hand, leading the two children down the hall.

She returned moments later, offering Owen a weak smile as she reentered the room. He could tell that she was still afraid, and that she was trying hard to hide it. She gasped in surprise when another streak of lightening lit up the house, causing the lights to flicker sporadically before turning off completely, leaving them in total darkness.

"Damn it," she muttered, her heart pounding in her chest as the room immediately began to feel colder. Owen used the light of his cell phone to find his way to where she stood, placing a hand on her shoulder and noticing her tenseness.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she assured him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just... really don't like thunderstorms."

Lightening flashed again, and she subconsciously grabbed onto his arm.

"Owen?"

"Yeah?"

"Do... do you want to stay here tonight?" she asked timidly. "You know, cause of the storm... I don't want you to have to go outside again. Plus, it can't be safe spending the night in that tin box of yours."

Owen nodded, trying to suppress a knowing smile.

"Of course."

Amelia led the two of them into her bedroom, knowing that she'd need to find something for him to wear so that he could change out of his wet clothes. She offered him an extra pair of scrubs and an oversized sweatshirt, the only clothing she owned that he would be able to fit into, and she motioned for him to face the opposite direction before she changed her clothes.

"It's completely dark, Amelia. I can't see you," he chuckled, amused at her insistence.

"Just do it!"

He rolled his eyes, turning around to face the wall. Amelia stripped off her clothes, shivering when she exposed her bare skin to the air in the house, which was now significantly colder due to the lack of electricity. When she was done, the pair climbed into the bed, remaining on opposite sides of the mattress.

"Thank you for staying," she whispered, her eyes drifting shut.

"Anytime."

She attempted to fall asleep, wanting desperately to escape the storm, but her fear and the now unbearable coldness of the house kept her awake. Owen took notice of her restlessness, and he could hear her teeth chattering loudly. He wanted nothing but to protect her from the storm, to shield her from the cold, to take away all of her pain.

"Amelia," he whispered.

"Hm?" she mumbled, previously unaware that he was still awake. "S-sorry. I can't sleep."

The storm grew louder, and the room lit up for a split second when a clap of thunder sounded and lightning flashed again. Amelia let out a small, involuntary squeak, jumping and burying her face in the pillow. Owen frowned.

"Come here."

Amelia's breath hitched. She wanted to. She really, _really_ wanted to. But she shouldn't. She couldn't. So she shook her head.

"I'm fine, Owen."

She curled her legs into herself, her teeth still chattering as another shiver traveled up her spine. _Resist._

"Amelia."

She turned to face him, meeting his kind, welcoming eyes, which were barely visible through the darkness.

"Come here," he repeated.

She couldn't stand it any longer. She scooted closer to him, allowing him to completely envelop her in his arms. She let her body mold into his, tucking her face into the crook of his neck as her hand rested on his chest. She breathed in his scent, basking in his impossible warmth, and her chills began to subside.

"I've got you," he whispered softly. He rubbed a warm hand up and down her arm, and she felt the goosebumps disappear from her skin. She let out a content sigh, her breath softly ticking his neck.

"Turn around," he said.

She hesitated for a short moment before rolling onto her other side, closing her eyes when she felt a strong arm circle around her waist. He pulled her in closer, her back pressed against his front, she she felt him nestle his face into her hair, resting against the back of her neck.

"Thank you," she said quietly, gratefully, and she felt him place a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Always."


End file.
